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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Stardust is one of those books that surprised me. I went in expecting a cosy fairy tale, but what I got was something much sharper, more ironic, and honestly quite beautiful. Neil Gaiman’s writing balances magic and melancholy really well, and Charles Vess’s illustrations add this textured, whimsical quality that makes Faerie feel both enchanting and dangerous.
What really stuck with me was how Gaiman plays with gender roles and expectations. Tristran starts off as a bit of a wet blanket — all naive chivalry and entitled “nice guy” energy — but his journey is really about learning to see beyond that. And Yvaine? I loved her. She’s angry, sarcastic, stubborn, and so grounded for someone who literally fell from the sky. Her refusal to be anyone’s prize or project felt like a direct critique of traditional fairy-tale endings.
The witches are another standout. Lamia is terrifying but also tragic — this embodiment of power that’s been twisted by desire and decay. There’s something quite gothic about her, and I appreciated how the book doesn’t try to redeem her or simplify her motives.
Stardust feels like Gaiman asking: what if fairy tales grew up, but didn’t lose their heart? It’s romantic without being sappy, clever without being smug. I finished it feeling like I’d been told a story that respected me — and challenged me, just a little.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes